In conjunction of the tenth anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the Communist Party of China (CPC) enhanced its engagement with political parties, including those in Sri Lanka, in pursuit of further success of the project in the next decade.
The CPC concluded its BRI Dialogue with the representatives of political parties from South Asia and Southeast Asia in Kunming on November 10, the capital of China’s Yunnan Province considered the gateway to connectivity to these regions.
Representing Sri Lanka, General Secretary of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Sagara Kariyawasam, General Secretary of the United National Party (UNP) Palitha Range Bandara and Foreign Affairs Secretary of Pivithuru Hela Urumaya Thilina Peiris attended the function in which the CPC shared its insights on the success story of the BRI during the first decade of its implementation and the way forward for the next decade.
The CPC has already tied up with the political parties in Sri Lanka cutting across the divide with regular exchanges. Most of the key politicians from both sides of the divide have already visited China on programmes, while new programmes are also on the cards.
Sri Lanka is one of the countries that recognized the BRI at its inception. It is also a country that matters most for China given its strategic positioning in the Indian Ocean with easy access to key markets in the region. The political goodwill in the host country concerned is key for the successful implementation of the BRI.
At the Kunming BRI Dialogue, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee Liu Jianchao delivered the keynote speech. The political leaders of the countries such as Pakistan, Thailand, Indonesia and Nepal attended the function.